The newly elected Greek government is planning a new policy stance in regards to Greeks abroad, setting as its main goal the improvement of relations between the Greek Diaspora and the motherland and the upgrade of services provided to Hellenes abroad.

Government sources, who spoke to Neos Kosmos pointed out that the Papandreou government “will set out to restore the relations between the Greek state and the millions of Greeks living abroad that were undermined by the ineffective policies of the Karamanlis’ governments.”

The new cabinet that was announced does not include a position of a Deputy Minister responsible for issues of the Greek Diaspora.

However well placed sources within the Government insist that those duties will be handed to Greek Australian, Dimitris Dollis until Mr Papandreou, who also holds the Foreign Ministry portfolio, makes his final decisions.

The former Deputy leader of the Victorian Labor Party has been a close associate of Mr Papandreou for a number of years and is expected to secure a position in an expanded Prime Ministerial office.

According to Neos Kosmos sources, the government plan is to restore the status of the General Secretary for the Greek Diaspora which under the previous government had been downgraded and replaced with a Director heading the Secretariat.

It should be noted that the appointment of the former General Secretary for the Greek Diaspora, Pavlos Geroulanos, as Minister of Culture is expected to improve cultural relations between Greece and the Diaspora.

Through his previous government as well as personal experience – having studied and lived in the US for a of number years – Mr Geroulanos is aware of the cultural needs of the Diaspora and is expected to open up new and wide channels of cultural exchange between Athens and Hellenic centres abroad.